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Annual septic review finds no failures but flags inspection gaps tied to property transfers
Summary
A city-conducted review of 417 septic systems found no failures, but the reviewer said Dellwood lacks a reliable way to flag property sales that trigger required compliance inspections; the Council heard that Type III systems are increasingly used on small lots and an unresolved peninsula septic arrangement remains.
At the Dec. 10 Dellwood City Council meeting, Brian Humpal presented the city's annual septic report and said all 417 systems reviewed showed no problems.
Humpal told the Council that many newer applications in 2024 were for Type III septic systems, which are non-standard but useful on smaller lots. He warned the City does not have a good way to identify properties that are being sold or transferred; Minnesota law requires a compliance inspection for existing septic systems on properties that are sold or transferred, but Humpal said the City is often unaware of a transfer until after closing and buyers are sometimes unaware of inspection obligations.
Humpal also described a recurring unresolved issue: a septic area at the top of the Peninsula used by three homes, one under an easement from the City and two under license agreements. He said that matter needs a regulatory and maintenance resolution; the Council did not adopt a separate action on that point at the meeting. Humpal submitted his invoice for 2024; the Council did not question it and approved the agenda changes that moved his presentation earlier in the meeting.
